The Dark Ages Grow Younger
by FishInAFadora
Summary: An acrobatic thief. An alchemist speedster. A green-skinned witch. A sorcerers swordsman. An expert archeress. A super-strong fugitive. A language chanting witch. Unexpected heroes of a famous rebel group; the League. Their targets: greedy King Luthor, bloodthirsty Lord Savage, demonic Klarion, lethal Deathstroke, twisted Queen Bee, and many more. Medieval AU Drabble series.
1. Just Another Mission

**I know, i know! i should be solely focused on my Rose King series since i put Just Like You on hold. but this is not a focus. this is going to be full of disjointed chapters that will only connect if i write it like that. ill only post a new story if the idea comes to me and even you guys are welcome to giving me ideas, really ill take them.**

 **this isn't my first story but its a first in this fandom. and this is something me and my brother can bond over since he and i really like young justice. enjoy!**

 **disclaimer: i dont need to say it. if i owned it, there'd be a third, fourth, and fifth season by now. seriously...**

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The scent of a forest is stronger in the rain. The damp weather brings out the smells of earth, dirt, and plants; so strong that it forces its aromatic scent up the noses of the pack of young people dashing across the wet leaves and mud. Not that it bothered them; it was strangely therapeutic, calming their senses. A good thing, since the place they were running to held potential danger for them all.

Topping the crest of hill, the young runners slid down its other side, using the wet mud to their advantage. The forest was filled with the sound of gently falling rain and their panting as they kept up their fierce pace. They had to reach the destination before their quarry did.

The four teenagers powered up the last hill. At the top, the leader halted and slid into hiding behind a tree, his pack following suit. The rain had made the temperature drop and it was already early winter, so their breaths escaped as vapor from their mouths.

"Just down there will be the ambush site," the leader, Kaldur said. His silver eyes scanned the trees while he adjusted the twin swords strapped to his back, and brushed off the mud from his red shirt that had its sleeves cut off. To hide the color from watchful eyes, a dark blue cloak was draped across his shoulders, the hood up to shadow his face. "Wally should be back any minute now."

The words were barely out of his mouth when a yellow blur came speeding up the hill. A boy with bright green eyes and red hair materialized in front of them. Most people of the kingdom would be screaming and crossing themselves at the sight of a boy appearing in front of them with inhuman speed and a smile on his face, but for this group of young people, it was a normal occurrence and often, an annoying one.

"All clear," Wallace Rudolph West announced brightly. His boots were caked with mud from using his superspeed in wet terrain but surprisingly, his bright yellow tunic and red overvest did not have a spot of mud on them

"Good," Kaldur said simply.

"For once, you don't screw up a scouting mission," laughed a small, black-haired boy, wearing a mask over his eyes. He was dressed in a red tunic and black pants with black boots. A black-on-top, red-on-bottom cloak hung from his shoulders, the hood pulled up to protect himself from the rain. A wide leather belt rested on his slender torso, strapped with knives, two dirks, and various pouches filled with such a variety of tools and weapons that not even his fellow comrades knew the extent of his whole arsenal. The only protect the boy deigned to wear were leather and steal gauntlets on his arms.

"Thanks for the support, Rob, what are best friends for?" Wally replied sarcastically.

"Speaking of which, this job requires stealth," replied a snarky voice from a girl with long blonde hair tied into a pony tail. Her outfit had even less protection than Robin's. Tight green pants fitted her lean, muscled legs and soft boots of green leather clad her feet. She had green top that exposed her midriff with a hood and mask sewn into the neckline. The only weapons she carried was a sharp knife on her thigh and a quiver of a dozen arrows strapped on her shoulder. In her gloved hands was an elegantly carved long bow. Her gray, cat-eyes looked over Wally with disdain and irritation.

"Stealth meaning we can't be spotted until the ambush. So why are you wearing those bright colors, Baywatch?"

Wally replied hotly, "In case you've forgotten Artemis, I am the teenage speedster Kid Flash. This is my uniform that bad guys will fear!"

"Never trust a guy in yellow," Artemis muttered, rolling her eyes.

Kaldur interjected before they the pair could really get into an endless bicker session. "Still, Artemis has a valid point. Do you have a dark cloak you can over the suit?"

Wally pretended for a few seconds that he had not heard the question, opting to study his nails like they needed cleaning. It was clear that to the rest of them that he had not come prepared.

"He can have mine," offered the last of them, Connor. He was a tall, broad-shouldered youth with short black hair and steely, blue eyes. His face was usually set in a frown or an enraged scowl. He carried no weapons and only wore dark blue breeches with heavy black boots, and a black shirt on top. He slipped a brown cloak off his wide shoulders and handed it to Wally.

"Brown looks terrible against yellow," the red-head griped quietly as the rest ignored him.

 _"M,gann, Zatanna, we are at the ambush site. What is the position of the target?"_ Kaldur called out clearly in his mind. The other teenagers quieted down as the message rang out through their heads via the telepathic link that one of their witches, M'gann, had set up. Currently, M'gann and the other witch, Zatanna, were flying above their targets, out of sight and keeping an eye on them.

 _"The caravan is about a mile away but they're moving pretty fast,"_ came the young witch's reply. _"Neither of us have been able to tell who the leader is up front, since he's wearing a hood over his head."_

 _"But his cloak has King Luthor's insignia, so we can rule out anybody working for Lord Savage and Queen Bee,"_ Zatanna said, joining the conversation.

 _"Does it matter?"_ Connor growled irritably. _"What matters is that we stop them before they reach the salt mines."_

 _"And we will, my friend,"_ Kaldur replied calmly, keeping the conversation in their heads. No one bothered Connor when he was in this kind of mood and no really wanted to. This particular mission was important to him.

 _"You all know your positions,"_ Kaldur ordered. _"Let's go."_

Silently, they hurried off to their assigned strategic points. The hill sloped down and at the bottom curved a muddy road full of wagon ruts as it was often used. The hill itself was filled with hiding spots behind thick tree trunks and undergrowth. Kaldur and Wally hid behind the trees, the speedster checking that he had a clear path to run when it was time to break cover. On the other side of the road, the land dipped again into another steep hill that curved to the right. The ridge was enough to hide Connor, who lay flat in the wet grass.

Artemis hid behind a tree a little ways down so she could pick off any enemies from behind. Robin took a running leap and scaled the side of tall oak like a cat. In no time, he was hidden among the branches, disappearing with that "ninja stealth" as Wally called it. It would be Robin to signal the time of attack.

 _"We are ready,"_ Kaldur relayed.

 _"They are almost there,"_ M'gann reported.

Silence then reigned again in the forest, and the only sound was the soft patter of the rain and a fearful trill of a magpie. The young hunters waited, shifting only to relieve themselves of cramping muscles. Ears were strained to catch the approach of their quarry.

Over the rain, they heard it. The hoof beats and snorts of horses, the creak of wagon wheels. Down the road and progressing toward them was a guarded caravan. A hooded man on a huge gray horse led the way and Robin could see the bulk of his armor hidden by the cloak. Behind were more mounted guards flanking each sides of two wagons pulled by more horses. Robin counted the helmets; six on each side and he could just see two more in the back. Fourteen in all, not counting the leader. Most band of outlaws would turn tail at the sight of so many soldiers but this would be a piece of cake for these particular teenagers. The King could have assigned his entire army to these two wagons but even that would not make them run. They would never abandon this cargo.

 _Correction_ , Robin thought, mentally blocking his thoughts from broadcasting. _We would never abandon these people._

The wagons were open on all sides and barred so the people inside had no protection from the rain or the wind. The interior wasn't more than ten feet long and six feet wide, yet there was about twenty people crammed inside. Some were forced to stand and sit on each others laps. They were all thinned from lack of proper nourishment, and filthy from being forced to sit in each others refuse. From what Robin could see, the oldest was a withered, pale man who wouldn't last more than three days in the salt mines. The youngest was a little girl no more than five.

It made the raven-haired boy sick. The King was not above slave trading to boost his economy. The same could be said of the men that worked for Luthor. Anything to fill their pockets. Despicable.

Robin shook his head. No use getting worked up. His mentor, the Dark Knight, had drilled into him that he should never go into battle with a temper and his head clouded with emotions. That kind mindset led you to do reckless things and take unnecessary risks. Through the mind link, he and the rest of the group could feel Connor's growing anger rising. No one blamed him; he was once a slave himself and just the sound of chains made him furious.

The wagon train creaked onward through the mud. The leader had just passed under Robin's perch, a branch that stretch above the road and was covered by leaves. No one would see him as long as he stay stilled, which was an easy feat for the acrobatic thief. Carefully, his hand slipped into one of his belt pouches and pulled out a sphere made of pottery clay.

The first wagon passed under him. _"Not yet...almost,"_ he thought aloud. The rest of the team tensed in preparation.

There was a small gap between the wagons where two guards rode close together. As they passed under him, Robin threw the clay sphere down with all his might. It smashed into pieces and the contents were exposed to the oxygen in the air. Immediately, a thick yellow smoke dispersed and rose into the soldiers' nostrils. They started choking, coughing, and wiping away tears that blinded them as the smoke burned their eyes.

The team wasted no time in catching the caravan off guard. Artemis swept from her hiding spot and fired off two arrows at the guards in the back. They screamed and fell off their horses, clutching their calves that had the shaft of arrows sticking out from them. Wally flashed out and pulled another guard off his horse, punching his lights out before the man could unsheathe his sword. Connor was next to break cover. He charged head on at the guards, roaring in rage, and slammed all his body weight into a horse's side. The poor animal toppled over with a neigh of fright and trapped its rider under its bulk. Another soldier swung his broadsword at Connor, thinking he could kill an unarmored, weaponless boy. No such luck. The muscled teen caught the blade right in his hand and jerked the man off his mount, delivering a swift kick to his jaw.

Kaldur pulled his swords from their sheaths on his back and proceeded to parry with the hooded leader. The man had dismounted from his horse and had unsheathed a heavy broadsword sword. A devastating weapon if one could yield it with enough strength. Its one disadvantage was its speed. Or lack of thereof. Knowing this, Kaldur flicked his wrists. With a shimmer of blue light, his swords shifted into dirks, long knives that could slip under the guard of a bigger weapon. Any other soldier would flee from a display of magic but this one continued fighting.

Robin dropped from his perch onto the roof of a slave wagon. The people were inside were no less scared to death, for they did not know if this ambush was to their benefit or destruction.

"Don't be afraid," the raven-haired boy assured them with a smile. "We're here to set you free and get you to safety." Kaldur had put him in charge of leading them out, probably because he was the youngest and people tended to trust his youthful face almost instinctively. It annoyed Robin some that he wouldn't get his part of the action but if that was sacrificed so that innocents could escape their unjust captivity, then he would not complain. Without further ado, he popped out his picks from his belt and proceeded to cajole the latch lock to open. The captured men and women inside encouraged him on, and he easily blocked out all the chaos to concentrate.

The others were quickly finishing off the guards. The leader and four men were all that were left, all on foot and bunched together. Kaldur, Connor, Wally, and Artemis prowled like wolves around a lost flock of sheep.

"Surrender peacefully and no harm will come to you," Kaldur commanded evenly, his dirks having shifted into a long, lethal javelin, poised at the leader's chest.

"Oh no, whatever shall we do?" the leader cried dramatically in a false falsetto voice. His men looked at him with one of two expressions: rolling-my-eyes exasperation or he's-finally-lost-it annoyance. Even the team audibly groaned.

"Seriously?" Artemis groused. "This has got to be a joke. What the hell are you doing here Nigma?"

Sir Edward Nigma, also known as the Riddler, notorious only because of his riddles, swept off his hood with a flourish, too joyful to be rid of it. The team had dealt with him before and each encounter was more annoying than the last. As he stood beaming at all of them, Robin successfully unlocked the first cart.

To a middle-aged man standing nearest to the door, Robin said. "Lead these people to the other side of the hill here and wait for my team at the bottom. We'll join you with the rest and take you somewhere safe."

Fortunately, the man nodded confidently. He hopped out first and quietly led the woman and children up the incline, keeping a wary eye on the soldiers. Robin assisted in helping the weaker folk down from the prison cart, giving quiet assurances to the old and warm smiles to the young. One elderly woman squeezed his hand and said tearfully, "God bless you, child."

"I'm surprised you're still working for his most royal shiny head," Kid Flash joked, trying to keep the Riddler's attention away from the slave carts. The last of the slaves had made it over the lip of the hill and Robin had already started on the second cart lock. "What with your incompetence in everything else. Was guard duty too hard for you?"

"His glorious Majesty, you bull-headed brat, is merciful to those who are willing to serve him in any way possible," the Riddler retorted. "And he will reward me greatly when I present all of your wanted bodies to him."

"Shut up!" Connor snapped, a vein bulging from his muscular neck. "You filthy slave traders have no right to defend your slimy king so quit talking before I make you!"

"Being a runaway slave yourself, you seem to have forgotten how to speak to your master."

 _Damn_ , Robin thought as he struggled with the rusty lock. _Riddler is pathetically harmless once he loses his toys and body guards but he sure knows how to get under your skin. Oh well, his funeral..._

Connor, overcome with anger, took a step to charge the Riddler. However, the man reached into his cloak and raised something into the air. "Stay where you are or I throw this at the cargo!"

Robin looked up from his work, his heart quickening. Riddler held a greek fire bomb. Enclosed in its terracotta shell was a highly flammable, very lethal powder substance that could easily kill caged people, when it was lit. However, Nigma and his men were directly in front of the wagons and therefore did not see that the first cart was already empty and that Robin was working faster on the last lock as quickly and as quietly as he could.

"Well that would be a problem," Kid Flash quipped. "If it was, ya know...on fire."

To that, the Riddler just laughed. "If only your brain was as fast as your feet! This is something of my own invention so it doesn't need fire! Now, you're all going to let us back on the wagons so we can sell our wares or I-"

Uh, sir?" one of the guards started meekly.

Nigma looked positively livid at the interruption to his villainous negotiation."What?"

"The wares have escaped or are already escaping."

At last, the Riddler realized that the first cart was empty and Robin had just opened the door of the last, the people needing no encouragement to hop out and run as fast as they could to where Robin was directing them to hide. Nigma literally roared like a furious lion, fixing the young outlaws around him with a hatred-filled glare. Before anyone could stop him, he roared again and threw the bomb down with all his force.

Time goes slower for Kid Flash than to other people, so several things happened at once in his speed. Robin, realizing what was about to happen had reached for a knife but had reacted too late. Artemis let loose her taunt arrow and Wally could see that it would strike Nigma in the shoulder but the bomb had already left his hand. The redhead began to run toward Artemis. One arm grabbed her around the waste and the other gripped Connor's shirt collar. Only wanting to get them safely away, he threw their bodies as far as he could (Artemis was easy enough but Connor was predictably heavy). Without waiting to see if they were alright, Wally tackled Kaldur and they rolled away just as the bomb was about to impact the ground.

Blood, adrenaline, and fear were roaring in the young outlaws' ears. Silence slammed into the like a stampede. On the ground, covering their ears or guarding their faces, they waited for the explosion but it never came. Confused, they looked up and their faces broke out into wide grins.

The terracotta sphere was hovering a mere inches above the damp ground, like it was held by a ghost. The faces of the Riddler's men were white with terror. Nigma could only stare at the bomb blankly while he clutched at the bloody shaft in his shoulder. But before any of them could react, a voice came from nowhere, chanting a strange language.

 _"Eit meht pu yleruces!"_ Ropes appeared out of thin air and bound the men. They screamed bloody murder at the witchcraft and one soldier fainted from absolute fright.

"Are you guys okay?" asked a different voice from the air. M'gann, floating above the heads of the captured men, pulled down her hood and shimmered into view, revealing light brown hair, strange green skin, and a concerned motherly look on her face.

"I'm perfect now that you're here, gorgeous," Wally said smoothly, ignoring Artemis's snort of annoyance. "But didn't you see me get everyone out the bomb's range? There was no need to stop it from falling."

"She did it to save the King's men, genius," Artemis replied scathingly, never one to avoid a moment when she can bring Wally's ego down a few pegs.

"A close call," Kaldur said gravely. "Good job Miss Martian." The girl curtsied in mid-air, smiling politely.

The Riddler, recovering from his shock, began shouting hysterically, heedless of his bleeding wound. "No, no! This is all wrong! It shouldn't have ended this way!"

"How was it supposed to end, _Captain_? The bomb would have killed us and you too!" To the teenagers' surprise, one of the guards was glaring fire at his superior, putting sarcastic stress into Nigma's rank. Any soldier in King Luthor's army would never think of talking like this to their commanding officer, lest they want their tongue cut out.

"That was the point!" Riddler whined, drawing disbelieving stares from his men that were still conscious. "We would all be dead so the King would never hear of my humiliation at the hands of these brats!"

"This is just getting more tiresome," Zatanna muttered. She still wore M'gann's invisibility shield for fear of exposing her identity, and was floating next to the green-skinned witch by way of telekinesis. " _Gag meht._ "

Zatanna's magic casted gags on the captured men, effectively silencing Nigma's moaning. "That's better," she sighed with relief.

When Robin saw that the two witches had the situation under control, he ran to check that all the slaves had made it and were staying put. The Dark Knight had given his protege instructions concerning them. They had to be careful of releasing escaped slaves, because if left to fend for themselves, they would surely be recaptured and sold again. Some would have to start new identities in different villages with a different profession. Some would be employed as servants to trusted nobles that would take care of them and pay well. Tragically, others will have no choice but to flee to another country altogether and start new lives somewhere else. For now, Robin would lead them to a nearby farm with a kind family that will feed, clothe them, and tend to their injuries.

The acrobat was returning now to the main group. "Everyone's out and waiting to get to the safe point. We need to get moving while we still have daylight. A lot of the older folk are going to go slow."

Kaldur dipped his head. "Understood. Kid Flash, Superboy, take these prisoners to the League's headquarters and have Manhunter perform a show for them. The rest of us will take care of the slaves."

"They aren't slaves anymore," Connor groused. "They are free men and women."

"Well said, my friend."

Connor and Wally freed the harnesses of the draft horse pulling the carts and slung the men on their backs. The horse were so big, they only needed two. The last were led by Robin and Artemis to use as mounts for the people who couldn't walk. M'gann changed her green skin into a peach pink so she wouldn't scare the common folk and Zatanna borrowed Robin's cloak to hide her identity. It didn't matter to the boy since he wore a mask.

As they walked up the steep hill, Robin and Artemis fell into the rear since the draft horses were slow to follow them. The blonde archeress turned to the thief.

"I know we did good work today, and I'm sorry if this sounds cynical," she began. "But if you think about it, we didn't do much for the war. There will be many other slave caravans and auctions, and we won't be their to stop them all."

Robin did not reply to rebuke her. What she said was only a logical conclusion and Robin always preferred things to be logical (though that was stretching it since he was part of a team that had a speedster, two witches, a boy that could punch through castle wall, and a leader that wielded shape-shifting weapons). Stopping one caravan wouldn't stop the practice of slavery.

The young outlaws- sorry, _heroes_ \- reached the top of the hill to be met with applause. The forty odd mass of people were cheering them. The men roared approvingly and raised their fists, the women sang praises, and the children laughed, giggled, and smiled like children should. Robin returned their enthusiasm and looked at Artemis, grinning from ear to ear.

"This may have been a small battle. But its the unsung victories that are the most memorable."

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 **so what did you think? good, bad, never try this again, or update as soon as possible? leave a review please and enjoy the rest of your day! or night if you're like me...**


	2. Origins: A Robin's Flock

**back again! i didnt expect such positive responses to this story, and the reviews were awesome. well except for one guest review...ahem *cough* anon *cough***

 **not to say what you posted wasnt interesting to say the least, it put me off because not once did you critique my story and its called a _review_ for a reason. but im going on with this and if you dont like it, then dont read.**

 **with that said, enjoy the update. this a well known backstory. kept it mostly canon with a medieval twist.**

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It was a harsh, brutal winter that was only lightened by the song of the early morning robin. This bird's voice was always singing, high and positive, always promising a brighter tomorrow and a better future for those who kept looking for it. At least, that's what Richard's mother always told him and she would remind him of this every morning they woke up early together. They were always up earlier than the rest of their traveling circus family. His mother would start the fire and begin making breakfast. While she did this, her lips would whistle the tune of every bird that called in the branches. Her son would mimic her and he always woke his father up with the melody of the robin.

This was the first family Dick Grayson ever knew and it wouldn't be the last. He grew up speaking Romani, the silvertongue gypsy language that villagers immediately distrusted upon hearing it. His parents, John and Mary Grayson, were descended from the wandering people of thieves, fortune-tellers, and mystic magicians. His parents were very talented acrobats known as the Flying Graysons. This had led to their employment of Mr. Haly and they became a key part of Haly's Circus. The elder man did not discriminate against their heritage and welcomed them with open arms.

Despite Haly's warnings, John and Mary taught their son their native language, even if it alienated him from other children. At the time, Dick did not know better and didn't care; he was happiest chatting to his parents in the melodious, flowing language and climbing every tree in sight. Other couples may cry with fright upon seeing their child in the high branches of an oak tree but Dick's parents did not worry needlessly. They knew instantly that their child was born to fly.

He was too little to join the show but he was their biggest fan, and was Haly's best helper around camp. He helped with the laundry, fetched fire wood, and loved to care for the circus's elephant, Elinore. He got a front row seat to every show and knew all the clowns' jokes and the secrets to the magician's tricks. And when his parents performed their flips, tumbles, and somersaults high in the air, it amazed Dick every single time. He wanted to fly like them.

Before he turned six, he could already do a perfect handstand and back hand spring. It wasn't long before he was performing with his parents. Around this time, Mr. Haly started teaching him English and he picked it up quickly; language seem to come naturally to the boy. Haly taught him how to capture a crowds' attention with charming words and quick wit. While they traveled, his father trained him to perfect his acrobatics and Haly taught him English and tricks to get by in the world. Though the circus was a successful one, life was still harsh on the traveling troupe. Some villages were too superstitious of them to allow a show, or the King's taxes took more out of their pay than they could afford. Somehow, they always managed.

Shortly after his ninth birthday, Haly's Circus was residing in a small coastal town, giving the bored fishermen and traders entertainment for three nights and earning their keep. On the third night, a servant on horseback delivered an official letter with a wax seal to Haly. It was an invitation to Gotham, a city further north ruled by the famous and wealthy nobleman, Lord Wayne. The invitation was a summons to the city for their services, promising good pay and comfortable lodgings and meals. This is not what alarmed the circus members; they had been requested by nobles before. The seal was not Lord Wayne's. It was King Luthor's. The King was visiting his nobleman's manor, had heard the circus was traveling nearby, and requested a performance for him in Gotham.

Hastily, the circus packed up and made for Gotham as quickly as possible. One could not keep the King waiting. Dick remembered his parents being very anxious about performing in this show. They were afraid that the King would arrest them because they came from gypsies. Haly tried to soothe them by saying he would keep them out of the show, but they all knew that the Flying Graysons brought in the most money and was the main attraction. There was no hiding from this.

Gotham shocked Dick. From hearing all about the benevolent Lord Wayne, he expected a shining metropolis filled with well-dressed people. Granted, there were parts of the city like that but most of it was beyond crummy. The citizens were sour and stand-offish, and the streets were filthy with manure, garbage, and refuse, so much so that Dick wrinkled his nose in disgust (and that was saying a lot, since he had seen many dirty places).

Once they reached Lord Wayne's manor, the atmosphere became friendlier. Neither the Lord nor the King greeted them but the servants and serfs helped set up their stages, tightropes, and trapezes, even serving them lunch. They informed them that the King would watch their show that very night along with Lord Wayne.

However, around four, a man lumbered up to Haly. He was pretty big with dirty clothes and a face full of stubble. His slicked back, greasy hair emphasized his bulldog face. Dick was playing behind a wagon when the man started talking to Haly and became still so neither of them knew he was there. He did not understand the conversation exactly but it was obvious that the two men were arguing. It got to the point where the dirty man started threatening Haly and one of the circus's strongmen had to step in and ward him off. The greasy-haired man walked away, anger in his posture, but Dick saw the sickening smile slide across his face.

Trying to forget the incident, Dick returned to helping his parents with chores. The evening fell quickly, a clear sky and full moon illuminating the grounds. Torches and fires were lit, pigs and chickens roasted over the flames, and caskets of ale broken open and poured into large mugs. King Luthor emerged from the manor in fine mink clothes and high riding boots, followed by an entourage of bejeweled ladies and mustached gentlemen, all surrounded by watchful and armed guards. On the King's right walked a tall, muscled man with a clean face, short jet black hair, and dark piercing eyes. Dick couldn't help but stare a little too long at the man, longer than deemed prudent for someone of his status. This must be Lord Bruce Wayne.

The nobleman caught Dick's eye and the boy quickly averted his gaze to his shoes. But curiosity drew them back up and the man had a small but kind smile on his lips. Dick grinned back.

The royal party took their seats in front of a white-clothed dinner table and the show began. As they ate and drank wine, Haly did his rehearsed spiel of introducing the performers. First were the jugglers tossing balls and knives between each other with incredible speed, then the clowns and fools singing their songs and telling their jokes, while Elinore and the other trained animals did their tricks on command. This amazed and stupefied the nobles who clapped and laughed, and oohed and awed. All except the King, who watched with a haughty, disdainful expression. He did laugh and smile but it seemed forced or mocking to Dick, who watched from behind the curtain. He had never before been so nervous before a show.

Yet while he had been watching from the curtains, there was movement behind the crowd, just on the edge of the dark woods. It was man but it was too dark to see him properly, although Dick did catch the flash of smiling white teeth. It looked like a wolf's smile.

His tingling unease was forgotten when he recognized the words of Haly's intro to the Flying Graysons. He joined his parents at the top of the trapeze and waved to the crowd. Dick went first, soaring through the air performing three perfect somersaults before he grabbed the waiting bar and swung to the other side. He loved hearing the gasps and near screams of the crowd as they watched a nine-year-old fly high above the ground without a net. The applause afterwards was deafening.

But then it was his parents turn and they partnered up on the same trapeze, his father's legs hooked on the bar, holding his mother's legs as she stretched out her arms, waiting to catch him at the peak of their swing. He remembers vividly how much light was dancing in their eyes.

Remembers the sudden snap of an essential cable.

Remembers how his mother and father were still smiling in mid-air before gravity started to work and their joy vanished.

His mother saying his name.

Falling.

Overwhelming, crushing agony when they hit the ground. Nearly vomiting at the sound of bones snapping.

Dick was dazed in his sorrow. He barely registered the crowds screaming and the guards rushing to his parents bodies. He didn't recall climbing back down the ladder to the ground. He did remember kneeling there, staring through blurry vision at his parents' corpses. Someone draped a nice cloak over his shoulders and it was only then did he realize he was cold and shaking violently. Being shuffled away by Mr. Haly to his private caravan wagon. A cup of tea being pressed into his grip, the heat seeming to pass through his palms like he was a ghost. Haly couldn't even look at him long enough without crying.

At some point, Dick was left alone in the wagon. He didn't know when Haly left or why but the crippling fear of being alone overwhelmed him completely, fresh tears streaking down soaked cheeks. He threw off the cloak and rushed to the wagon door and flung it open, wanting to hide in the hay at Elinore's feet.

Only to find his exit blocked by the greasy-haired man from that afternoon. Dick froze and the man smiled. A flash of light and the boy saw a dagger in the man's hand. The thug lunged but Dick was quicker. He nimbly sprang away and the man laughed, thinking he trapped him in the wagon. But Dick knew better. Every wagon had a specially made trapdoor in the floor, just in case something like this happened. Dick bolted under a table, lifted the hidden plank, and dove to the grass beneath. The man roared in anger and nearly caught his ankle. Dick crawled away, got to his feet, and ran for his life into the woods. His fear and instincts propelled him to where he felt safest; up high.

A good distance away, Dick climbed a tree until he couldn't see the ground, and nestled into the branches. His heart pounded in his ears so loudly, he almost didn't hear the heavy footsteps of his attacker. The boy drew in a big breath and held it as the man ran past his tree, growling colorful words in a language he had never heard before.

The man passed by none the wiser but Dick didn't know what to do afterwards. Getting out of the tree would be noisy and trekking back through the woods at night could get him lost. And what if he ran into the man as he was coming back? Exhausted and mentally drained, the boy fell asleep in the branches.

The next morning, he climbed down and headed back to camp. Thankfully, he had picked the right direction and began to see the brightly painted sides of the wagons through the trees. He broke into a run, eager to be safe with his extended family.

He froze at the treeline and retreated behind a trunk. Soldiers surrounded the wagons. Maybe they were guarding the camp from the killer? The circus folk were going about their usual business but they casted distrustful glares at the armed men. Something about the soldiers being here was definitely not good, so Dick remained hidden.

He then spotted why. The man from last night was conversing to another man. He was dressed like the soldiers but his armor was shiner and his helmet was plumed. He had blond hair and cold brown eyes, and was angrily shouting at the dirty thug. Dick heard the words clearly enough.

"The King ordered them all dead," the commanding soldier snarled. "It should have been easy for you to run a whelp through!"

"The little bastard slipped through a trapdoor!" the other argued. "I almost had him but-"

"Address me as sir or Captain and the next time you don't, you lose a finger, Zucco," the Captain interrupted coldly.

" _Captain_ Crock," Zucco mocked, clearly not fearing for his digits. "I believe that killing the boy was not previously discussed in the contract. I want more money for this."

"Your not seeing any gold until the job is complete. All of the Graysons must die!"

Dick had heard enough. Fresh tears springing to his eyes, he backed into the woods and turned tail to run. The one place he thought he was safe was now a death trap. His mom and dad had been murdered by Zucco under the orders from the King's Captain of the Guards...which meant that the King ordered all this. And now Dick was a loose end.

He spent two weeks hiding. The forest became his refuge. If he heard something big moving through the brush, he scrambled up the nearest tree and hid until it was gone. His dad had taught him how to fish with a sharp stick, make a fire, and build a shelter. His mother had taught him how to cook and even showed him some plants that were safe to eat. He called on these lessons to the forefront of his mind.

But most of the time, he was unlucky. He constantly kept on the move so he didn't build a shelter. It rained one night and dry wood was impossible to find. Often, he did not spear the fish because it was too fast and he did not eat any plants because he couldn't remember which ones would make him sick. For the most part, he spent his time in the woods hungry, thirsty, cold, dirty, tearful, scared, and exhausted.

He must have been traveling in circles because he found a road and followed it back to Gotham City. And to think he had been trying to get away from the place! But it had been two weeks so maybe the soldiers and Zucco had stop looking for him. Maybe he could beg for some food or even steal some. Maybe he could find help, his circus.

He looked like all the other orphan street urchins so the stall-keepers chased him away from their wares. Men and women did not so much look at him as they hurried by with their livestock or produce baskets. He spent that day miserably wandering the streets looking for some scrap of food and trying not to get run over by the wagons.

Night fell and the people that clogged the streets scurried into their homes and locked the windows and doors. Apparently, Gotham was less appealing in the dark. Dick soon found out why.

Drunkards and painted ladies were normal, but packs of men stalked like predators down the alleyways. Homeless and beggers tried to make themselves as small as possible but that didn't stop them from being beaten by the gangs for what little they had. Dick ran at the sight of one group mercilessly kicking a blind man on the ground. He was too scared and too weak to help.

Eventually, he founded an alleyway behind an inn. The cook had already been out to dump the kitchen scraps right into the street. Dick didn't care how disgusting it was, he ate it ravenously. When he could stomach all he could, he curled up in a space between two barrels and tried to get some sleep. Despair clung to his heart; he was so tired, hungry, cold, terrified, he was ready to give up and join his mum and da.

He must have fallen asleep because he woke when someone roughly gripped his ankle and dragged him from his crawl space.

He kicked out of fright but the man just threw him against the wall, knocking the breath out of him. Terror gripped Dick as he stared into the cold gray eyes of Zucco. The thug laughed and the men with him laughed along.

"Well, lookie here gents," he sneered. "The circus rat we've been looking for has been hiding behind our favorite tavern the entire time!" Zucco threw the boy into the hands of two of his men and they grabbed his arms with iron holds. The boy tried to scream but one of the thugs promptly clamped a hand on his mouth, silencing him.

Zucco approached like a cat to a mouse, a knife now in his hands. "You can't slip away this time, boy."

Dick's knees trembled so much, it was only the men who could him upright. This was it, he was gonna die. At least he'd get to see his mother and father again.

Zucco was about to stabbed him in the chest when something struck his hand. He howled in pain as the knife was flung into a dark corner of the alley. A strange, black knife lay on the ground, the object that had hit Zucco.

What happened next was almost too fast for Dick to follow.

A swish of fabric and the hands holding his arms disappeared. The two men crumpled to the ground, out cold. Another strange knife whizzed through the air and struck the dagger out another man's hand. Something black, pointy-eared, and huge rushed past Dick to sock a thug in the jaw. The rest of the gang got over their shock and lunged for the figure.

Dick watched in wonder and fear as this thing moved with demon-like speed and with god-like strength. His strikes were a blur and ended with sickening cracks of bones breaking under his fists. The gang had no chance; the figure didn't even have a weapon in his hand.

Zucco was the last standing and the thing stalked toward him. The gang leader dropped to his knees and raised his hands over his head.

"No, please!" he whimpered, cowering. "I surrender, please, don't kill me!"

The thing paused, as if considering, and Zucco lunged, a second knife materializing from nowhere. The thing- no, the man- caught the blade right in his hand and twisted viciously. Zucco wrist snapped like a twig. The man cried in agony and received a kick to the head, falling unconscious to the ground.

The silence that fell was deafening after so much violence. Dick waited, frozen to the spot and his eyes riveted to the figure that he realized was an armored man with a black cloak and a bat-like helmet. It was then that the man turned and faced him; Dick could feel the eyes hidden completely away boring into his soul. It was unnerving.

Dick fainted.

* * *

That was how he had woken up in the richest bed ever and under the care of one of the wealthiest and most successful nobleman in the kingdom. The rest was history. It didn't take long for the boy to find a secret passage behind a water clock that led to a dark cave barely lit by torches and candles, full of bats, weapon racks, practice dummies, archery targets, tables scattered with documents and maps, a huge black steed residing in a stall, and a set of black armor with a bat emblem displayed on a mannequin. And it wasn't long for Lord Wayne to find him down there and tell the whole story.

A brisk wind ruffled Robin's hair. It was a breezy summer night in Gotham. He had gotten used to the smell by now and being so high as he was right now, it wasn't a real issue. The church steeple was a nice place to perch and think in the quiet. Tonight, the silence had invited his early memories with his parents, happy light-filled ones. The moon dimmed slightly as clouds scudded across its face, allowing the shadows to grow a bit bigger around the gargoyles. The grotesque statues were put on the church to ward away demons. Robin smirked; he had something more deadly than gargoyles to keep his demons away.

"Something on your mind?" a rough voice asked him. Bruce, despite being weighed down by a full set of armor, was with him at the top of building. The man had been scanning the Gotham skyline for signs of trouble, like the pair always did before beginning their patrol, until he noticed his ward was strangely quiet.

"Just a trip down memory lane," the boy acrobat replied. "I couldn't help but think of how much my life has changed in these past four years."

"It's been five, and yes," the Dark Knight gave a small, wry smile, one only reserved for a few souls to see. "I also think about how far you've come, how much you've grown and learned. What you've accomplished."

Robin tilted his head in amusement. "Are you getting sentimental on me?"

"Just a tad," and the Batman returned to watching the city but he grabbed his protege's shoulder and squeezed it affectionately. As affectionate as Bruce Wayne could show.

Robin smiled and also went back to the view. Looking over Gotham-his home- nostalgia overcame him and a little bit of bitterness.

His mom and dad's killer, Zucco, was still at large. Though that night Batman had rescued him the vigilante handed the gangster to a local faction of knights, he still managed to escape months later. It should not have been a surprise; Zucco was one of King Luthor's hit men.

That was the real problem. Luthor was corrupt, greedy, and ruthless. He had paid Zucco off to kill the Graysons because they were suspected of being a part of rebel dissenters. For all Dick knew, they could have been, but that wouldn't change how much he admired and loved them. The real problem was the King; so long as he ruled, men like Zucco would never get the proper jail sentence or hanging that they deserved. The disease had to be cut out; treating the symptoms will never work.

That's why he was here, as the Dark Knight's apprentice, Robin, the Boy Wonder and best thief this side of the kingdom. Why Bruce decided that he needed training instead of falling into dark vengeance and getting himself killed. Why he forged bonds with others his age and created their own team for the cause. Why they fought for justice and for the League.

"Let's get started," Batman ordered. "Alfred told me explicitly that you need to return home sooner for more sleep."

Robin rolled his eyes. "Alfred is a worry wort, he doesn't know what he's talking about."

"Do you want to tell that to him?"

"I'll follow you."

Richard "Dick" Grayson, otherwise known as Robin, thought he had lost his family forever the night his parents died, but he had been wrong. It had only grown. It now included Bruce, Alfred, his best friend Barbara, his best friend Wally, the rest of the team, and the members of the League. The robin's flock was restored, albeit with a couple of cracks that would never go away. But what he had now was more than enough. The bird's song was singing louder than ever.

* * *

 **hoped you liked it, leave a review for construction-ism or if you just want to be nice, or both. im all ears to sound advice. hope the ending wasnt too cheesy, i just couldnt avoid it.**

 **so Sportsmaster is the Captain of the Guard, just to let you know if you didnt catch it.**


	3. Training Days

**Phew! At last this is done and up. You guys may or may not know this but i have already started my first year at college and im adjusting to the changes quite nicely so far. but as you can guess, updates on this and any of my other stories will be less frequent now (not that they were frequent to begin with, haha). but that doesn't mean i won't update ever again, i do still have free time and ill try my best to write as fast as i can so you guys dont get bored and leave me...**

 **anyways, this chapter is solely on team interactions and some spitfire. and to answer a reviewer's question, yes, im going to do a medieval back story for every member of the Team, they just won't be in order. enjoy!**

* * *

In the breaking dawn of a quiet, peaceful forest, a blond-haired woman walked quietly up a rocky, steep mountain path. Most women of her age did not spend their time hiking up dangerous trails, wearing sturdy boots and a black cloak. Dinah Lance rolled her eyes and scoffed. What a shame that most women of her age were not adventurous or defiant enough to try something out of the norm. They were really missing out.

Besides, the trail was only dangerous to those who did not know it like the back of their hand. She knew exactly where to place her next step, and where to grab hold if she needed to. The path looked treacherous enough to discourage even the most daring climbers. Leave it to the Dark Knight to find a place that is both hidden and guarded against nosy villagers.

Barely out of breath, the woman crested the last steep climb, and stepped onto a flat plateau. To her left, curving effortlessly away and down the mountain was a small river of cold water. The source came from the waterfall that plummeted from the depths of the mountain. At this height, the wind was strong, pushing at her back and carrying the brisk scent of salt water. The ocean was behind her and below, at the foot of the mountain, was a small, prosperous fishing town called Happy Harbor.

Dinah broke into a light jog until she had come around to the side of the waterfall. With deft skill, she shuffled along a narrow walkway that was only half a foot wide and slippery from the spray of the waterfall. If somebody had gotten this far, they would have definitely turned around at this point, not knowing that a few feet under and behind the waterfall was a cave entrance that widen out enough to accommodate an adult. The woman made it across in no time and then was strolling down the dark cave tunnel without any hesitation; she was accustomed to the path enough to know it in the pitch blackness.

Finally, her journey ended in the wide, high ceiling cavern that was affectionately known as the Cave. Stalactites pierced downward from above her, providing plenty of shadows and perches for some of the Cave's more nocturnal occupants. Stalagmites guarded the sides of the caverns like sentries, next to various open tunnel entrances that led to other rooms. The middle was open, the center dug out to provide a spacious fighting arena with a sandy floor. Off to the side was a large table, temporarily clear of maps and documents, which the occupants usually held conference around.

The Black Canary, a notorious thief and thug hunter in her home city, Star, was their to wake up the occupants; her charges for the days ahead. The woman cleared her throat; she had to be careful and measured with her wake-up call. Last time she woke up her students, her cry had been so powerful it had shattered some high quality steel blades of the swords in the armory just down the center hall. She had been thoroughly embarrassed and had received Bat glares from the Dark Knight until she coughed up enough to money to replace them.

However, before she could draw a breath to wake them up, she sensed someone watching her. She smiled warmly. "Come on out, Robin. I may not be Batman but I can still tell you're here."

The Boy Wonder didn't keep her waiting, dropping from the stalactites and landing in a near silent crouch. He was already dressed, mask in place, and grinning at Dinah that had her sensing that the kid was up to something.

"Good morning, BC!" He replied cheerily.

The blonde woman cocked an eyebrow suspiciously. "Already up and ready for training? What about the others?"

"They must have forgotten you were coming today," he replied with a nonchalant shrug. "I didn't bother reminding them."

"Clearly," she sighed but pushed it aside anyway. It was time to get things started and stop wasting daylight. "I'm going to wake them up."

She ignored the way Robin bit his lip to keep from giggling and shuffled behind her, wisely staying out of her way. She also ignored how he quickly stuffed cotton in his ears as she let out her legendary Canary cry.

The Cave with its various tunnels and spacious rooms only amplified the screeching, piercing cry that shocked the remaining sleepers out of their dreams. Dinah kept it short, not wanting to destroy their eardrums. She waited expectantly in the middle of the main room, the raven-haired acrobat doing little to contain his snickers. One by one, each latecomer slinked into the cavern, dressed hastily for exercise and still looking asleep.

Artemis, M'gaan, and Zatanna's hair were messy but neatly tucked into ponytails. Conner looked crankier than usual but Dinah didn't pay it much mind. Aqualad was flustered and a little embarrassed but already alert and awaiting instructions.

"Where's Wally?" she asked upon noticing that the speedster wasn't with them.

A blast of wind answered her question. The very teenager had zipped in from the waterfall entrance, the same way that Dinah had come through, which meant that...

"Present!" the redhead grinned.

Black Canary smiled knowingly. "Wally, you just ran all the way from Central because you forgot that I was coming in this week, didn't you?"

"What? N-no...I..." Kid Flash tried to play innocent but failed miserably. "Okay, yeah. But I'm not late, you guys haven't even started yet...right?"

"No, we haven't. However, you should be capable of remembering important dates, instead of Flash having to remind you."

Wally looked away and scratched the back of his head, muttering something about Flash being late twice as many times as him.

Black Canary ignored him and addressed them all. "Right, to start off, I want you guys to run the base of the mountain twice around."

They all promptly groaned at the prospect of a hard run. Dinah continued on like they hadn't said anything. "Once, because almost everyone here forgot that I was coming in for the week."

Robin tried to hide his soft chuckle, he really did, but Canary turned a sharp blue gaze on him. "And twice because Robin decided not remind any of you."

The smirk disappeared off the acrobat's face as most of the team turned accusing glares on him. "Troll." Artemis growled irritably.

"Get going, daylight's wasting." The blonde woman ordered. "I want you all keeping together in a pack. Kaldur, as team leader, you set the pace and keep it. And Wally, I don't have to tell you to run at normal speeds."

The teenagers muttered under their breaths, all accept Kaldur who merely nodded, and led his team out of the mountain. Black Canary smiled warmly as they left; despite what others would assume, she actually enjoyed this time of the month when she could spend time with them, see them as just kids, albeit training ones.

The Team and Canary had a good routine set up. On the first week of the month, she would spend seven days training them in combat, stealth, and physical tasks. The rest of the time, they were usually working with their mentors. She taught them a new move every session and instructed that they master it before she came calling the next month, where her first day back would be to test them on it.

After they had come back from their warm-up run, they stretched, and joined her in the sand pit. The move she taught them last time was a high knee kick to the opponent's chin. Unsurprisingly, Robin performed it perfectly, as did Artemis, Zatanna, and Kaldur. M'gaan had a bad habit of using her flight abilities to aid her, which Dinah was sharp enough to notice; the girl was doing it instinctively. The blonde coached her until she was able to do it without her powers, though the blow was weaker then before.

Conner, to her surprise and pleasure, did it without rushing into the attack like he normally would. He even managed to keep most of his strength back, though the hit still had a good amount of force behind it, but nothing she couldn't handle. Wally would have done the move perfectly, if he had taken the time to aim properly before he charged. The redhead went sailing over her left shoulder, followed by his best friend's cackles.

She had them practicing on the dummies for the rest of the day until they could barely keep their guards up.

* * *

The next day, Dinah walked them through a new blocking and evading technique, a useful one if they ever had to fight unarmed against a knife-wielding enemy or an archer. She demonstrated it first and watched each protege try to copy it as best as possible, giving tips and correcting mistakes.

The she grabbed two wooden knives from the rack and attacked them head on. Dinah came at different angles, keeping them on their toes and pushing the limits of their focus. Once they showed they could block the knives, she took up a bow and blunt arrows and fired a shot, forcing them to evade quickly and efficiently. One badly executed roll and she could hit them with another arrow before they could get to their feet again. After all, Luthor's best archers could fire multiple shots in the span of seconds if they were using a long bow.

This particular exercise was especially beneficial for Artemis. The girl was usually the one using the weapon. It helped that she be trained to react when she finds herself on the other side of the bow in the future.

The archeress did receive a slight blow from the arrow when she didn't move fast enough. Her sharp ears caught the sound stifled chuckles and she didn't have to turn her head to know that it came from Wally. Artemis blushed from anger and embarrassment but when Canary called for the redhead's turn, she got an idea. Walking up to the woman, she whispered into her, ignoring Wally's suspicious stare.

Dinah smirked and handed over the bow and fake arrows to Artemis. Wally caught on to what they were up to.

"You're going to try and hit me with those sticks?" the speedster challenged cockily, shifting his feet into a ready stance. "Good luck with that!"

Artemis only smiled back and drew, aimed, and fired her first arrow in the span of the second. Caught off guard, it was only his unnatural speed that saved him. The redhead ducked and rolled but was barely on his feet before another arrow came for him. He jumped back, another whistled by his ear as he jerked his head to the side. Two were already sailing for his chest and by this time, Kid Flash had forgotten about performing the move Canary had just taught them. He caught both arrows and evaded the third aimed for his legs.

 _Damn, she's way faster than I thought!_ He grudgingly admired, as yet two more arrows were sent his way, coming in from different angles. He ducked the first, only just shifted his body away from the second, and was nearly caught out by the third trying sneak by his defenses. Again, only his speed and reflexes saved him. Any normal guy would have been a pin cushion by now. Artemis had to be almost out of ammo, right?!

Wally rolled, anticipating another arrow and landed in a crouch ready for more. But no more came. Artemis's bow was at her side, absent of arrows, wearing a disappointed expression.

Wally rose to his feet and whooped in victory, pumping his fists. "Yes!" he cried. "I rule! Nice try Arty, but you can't beat the speed-"

His triumph was cut off by something pounding him in the stomach. He yelped, more in surprise for there was little pain, though the blow did sting. A wooden arrow clattered to the floor. Artemis lowered her bow, smirking. Wally stared at the arrow, dumbfounded. Where had that come from?

"First thing Green Arrow taught me." Artemis declared, hands on her hips. "'Never let your enemy know just how many arrows you have on you whether they can see them or not!' Good effort Baywatch, but you can't dodge what you can't see coming."

The others had been watching the entire thing in quiet awe of Artemis accuracy and speed. Now they were stunned into silence. Robin whistled appreciatively; even Batman would have been impressed by the sneak attack.

Dinah nodded in approval then clapped her hands to gain their attention. "Good work, all of you. Time to do a workout session!"

The teens groaned at the thought of the Canary's _special_ workouts.

* * *

Throughout the week, the training was relentless and broad. They played cat-and-mouse in the forest surrounding Mt. Justice. Dinah, Robin, Zatanna and Aqualad were the hunters, the rest of them were the hunted. Robin would obviously have dominated the part of the mouse if he had been allowed but Canary had learned from last time; don't let the Boy Wonder be the one hiding unless you want the rest of the Team searching the forest for hours on end. Besides, it was good for the boy to play the other role, since usually in Gotham, he's the one in the shadows hiding from detection.

At some point in the week, they fought against their teacher in one-on-one combat. Robin and Kid Flash placed bets on how long each member would last in the pit; not "who would win" but _how long_ it would be before Dinah kicked their cans. Granted, the Canary was no Batman or Superman, but she could still pack a wallop and a world of hurt egos. However, due to months of prior training and sessions, each of them could relatively hold their own against her and the spars ended more on ties than a teen crying "uncle."

On the sixth day, Black Canary told them to train in their own specialty. What made this Team successful was the wide range of abilities each possessed and how they could balance each others strengths and weaknesses.

Kaldur took to the nearby spring within the mountain that led out into the ocean via an underwater passage. He practiced his magic control over the water and morphing his bearers into various weapons. Zatanna sat in the corner with piles of spell books around her, repeating backward chants until she had it perfect. Occasionally, their were various appearances of snakes or spiders that vanished into poofs of magic.

Like the Bat that he was, Robin was up in the stalactites. Set up high in the ceiling were tightropes, monkey bars, rings, hoops, trapezes, the likes of an aerial heaven for an acrobat. The raven-haired teen whooped with joy as he flipped between them, using his grapple crossbow as an aid, graceful as his namesake. Still, Dinah's heart leaped to her throat every time she thought he was going to fall, only to be proven wrong as he went flying again.

M'gann and Conner worked together. All over the sides of the mountain were loose rocks and large boulders. The green-skinned witch practiced lifting and holding them with her telekinesis, concentrating on only keeping them in the air for a few minutes at a time. Then, she would move them over to Conner, who waited like a cat on the ground. Leaping higher than castle walls, the muscled young man punched and kicked the rocks into oblivion, or caught them with his own hands and started bench-pressing.

Artemis was in her usual room of Mt. Justice; the archery range. Almost in boredom, she emptied her quiver, her arrows striking right where she wanted them on a target fifty yards away. She was already pulling them out after her seventh shoot-out when an unlikely person walked into the room.

The blonde teen pretended she hadn't noticed Wally but that didn't make him go away. The annoying speedster came up and watched her in silence as she continued to pry her arrows out of the target.

"What?" she asked defensively when she had finished and the kid was still staring at her with those bright green eyes. Why did they make her feel so self-conscious?

"Nothing," he replied airily.

She waited for him to continue but he didn't. Did he just got his kicks from wasting her time? "Shouldn't you be running to Central and back or something?"

He shrugged. "Yeah, I guess I could do that but it's not actually increasing my speed. I've done it so many times now that it's not a challenge anymore."

"So run farther. To Gotham or Metropolis."

"Been there, ran that."

"Then go to the edge of the world for all I care!" she snapped, tired of this back and forth banter. "What do you expect me to do about it?"

At this, the redhead rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Well, actually there is something you can do..."

Artemis quirked in an eyebrow. "What?"

"Um...you could...shoot your arrows at me."

A beat of silence as the girl let this sink in. Then her lips twisted into a sly smile. "The great Kid Mouth is asking for my help?"

Wally could see now that this was a bad idea. Her gray eyes were glittering with challenge that scared him a little, making him tingle all over. But he needed the training and he'd be lying if he said he wasn't amazed of her skills that she displayed four days ago. She had speed of her own and seemed to be able to read where he would end up next. How else had she been able to fire her arrows so accurately?

"Alright," she agreed, surprising him.

"Really?"

"It be better if I practiced on a moving target anyway," she shrugged, gathering her quiver and heading back to her place at the end of the range. "Besides, I'm not going to pass up an opportunity to shoot you."

"This time I'm ready for ya!" he shot back, grinning in anticipation. "C'mon, let's get started!"

"You want me to shoot you now? You do realize _my_ arrows are not blunts."

…...

"Could you please change them out first?"

* * *

The last day of the week was the most anticipated. This was the session that they had all been waiting for. Tournament day.

For the record, this was not Black Canary's idea. She originally thought that it would not be wise to breed competitive rivalries between the teens, as that could affect their performance as a cooperative force. It was the Team that had thought of it and acted on it. She would have stopped it if she hadn't witnessed that the young rebels did not let defeats sour their relationships or victories go to their heads. Instead, the kids were mature, encouraging, and taught each other. If anything, it was actually a team-building session that made their bonds stronger.

However, before they could begin, they had an unexpected visitor. A homing pigeon flew into the main cavern, entering through one of the many small crevasses in the mountain. Its cooing echoed softly in the Cave, alerting the members to its presence. Robin got to it first, gently holding the bird as he teased at the twine tied to its leg and the message it carried.

The message had no wax seal of an insignia and was not signed by the sender but they all knew who it was from. Even if they didn't, Robin would have recognized the straight and narrow black ink handwriting.

Robin read silently as the Team waited for him to tell them of the Batman's orders. As the silence dragged on, Wally shifted on his toes impatiently. "Dude, what's it say?"

Robin shook his head sadly and said to his friend, "I'm so sorry KF, but Batman's kicking you off the Team."

 _"What?!"_

"Hilarious," Conner growled, picking up the acrobat's fib with his super-hearing. "Now what's it really say?"

Robin smirked as Kid Flash glared at him. "We have a mission of course! The Dark Knight wants us to investigate these attacks on merchant ships that have been escalating this week. A significant amount of ship wreckage is being found around the deltas of the Atlantic ocean and the major rivers. Apparently, the ships that are being targeted are secretly trading with the League. Somehow, the King must have found out..."

"That reeks of a mole," Artemis commented, narrowing her gray eyes.

"Does Batman elaborate on a leak in the letter?" Kaldur inquired.

Robin scanned the parchment again to check. "No, he only wants us to focus on who's exactly behind the attacks. He's given us directions to the most recent wreck."

"Then that is the only thing we need to be concerned about right now," Kaldur replied. "Let's suit up and start our search before the trail goes cold."

"Sorry Black Canary," M'gann said to the woman. "For having to skip our last day."

"Don't be," she replied. "The mission is more important and it's not like you kids haven't done this sort of thing before. However..." She motioned to the message and Robin handed it over. Her blue eyes read the text quickly, a manicured eyebrow lifting when she had found what she was looking for.

"Thought so," she said. "Batman wrote here that this is a recon mission. You need to ' _observe and report_ ' only. He underlined that part rather heavily."

Dinah smiled as the either teenagers rolled their eyes, blushed in embarrassment, or (in Wally and Robin's case) fist-bumped. Sure, the Team didn't have the best track record but they always got the job done in the end. In her opinion, the formation of this group was a wise decision.

The League had been fighting King Luthor for years. Maybe these kids would be the ones that could clear the way to freedom.

* * *

 **Next time: the mission, Aqualad's past, and the pirate that haunts him like a ghost ship!**

 **wow...spoilers much...**

 **review if you're feeling kind! :)**


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